Bicycle attachment



(No Model.)

M. BURT. BICYCLE ATTACHMENT.

7 Patented June 28,1898.

MERRITT BURT, OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA.

BICYCLE ATTACH M ENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters P atent No, 606,185, dated J 11528, 1898.

Avplication filed March 10, 1897. Serial No, 626,862. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MERRITT BURT, a citizen of the United States, residing at J acksonville, in the county of Duval and Stateof Florida, have invented a new and useful Bicycle Attachment, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of devices provided for preventing persons falling when learning to ride bicycles and by means of whicha mastery of the machine is acquired in less time and without an attendant than is required by beginners on machines not equipped with such safety or supporting appliances.

The improvement consists of a-safety or supportin g device of special construction, as hereinafter set forth and claimed, which can be applied to any of the various makes and styles of safety-bicycles without requiring any special adaptation or change in the construction of the machine frame, the device being so constructed that it may be secured to the rear portion, of a machine -frame at the angle formed between the rear fork and the lower horizontal bars. Y

The improvement also consists of the novel combination of elements, referred to at length in the following description and claimed, whereby the attachment is rendered adj ustable to suit different machines and to meet the requirements of the rider of the machine to which the device is applied, so that the idlers or rolling supports can be adjusted to any distance above-the ground or surface over which the wheel is ridden.

For a full understanding of the merits and advantages of the invention reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings and the elevation of a side support, partly in section.

Fig. 3 is a side view thereof, showing different means for adj ustablyconnecting the idler cured to the frame of the bicycle.

or rolling support with the bracket. Fig. iis a plan section on the line X X of Fig. 3.

Corresponding-and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in the several views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The attachmentor safetyappliance consists in which, is slidably fitted the stem 4, the latter being prevented from turning by reason of a feather-and-spline connection between it and the sleeve. The rear portion of the plate has an opening 7 to receive the outer end of the rear axle and extensions to receive the parts 2 and 3, as shown, and is formed with openings 8 to receive clips or hooked fastenings 9, by means of which the device is se- For the sake of lightness the plate is formed with diverging or branching parts corresponding with the rear fork and lower horizontal bar of the machine, to which they are secured about as indicated.

The stem i is forked at its lower end, and

the idler or rolling support 5 is jo urnaled between the fork members upon a pin or bolt connectingthem, and this stem has a series of openings 10 in one side toreceive a binding-screw 11 or a pin or stud 12, attached to one end of a lever 13, fulcrumed intermediate of itsends 'to a bifurcated stud let, secured to the bent end of the bracket, a spring 15 be ing provided to hold the part 12 in engagement with the stem under normal conditions. The latter construction is preferred,inasmuch as it places the attachment under the control of the rider, so that a pull upon the outer ends of the levers 13 will withdraw the pins v ICC idlers in their lowered position. To attain this result, it is only necessary to attach a cord to the outer or forward ends of the levers 13, which are provided with openings 16 to receive the said cords, as will be readily understood.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. In a safety appliance for bicycles, the combination of a plate apertured to receive the terminal of the rear axle and having opposite extensions in Vertical alinement and diverging parts formed with openings to receive fastenin gs by means of which the plate is secured to the converging ends of the maehine-frame, a curved rod secured to the up per extension of the plate and having its outer terminal deflected and provided with a vertical sleeve, a horizontal brace connecting the lower extension with the lower portion of the curved rod, a rolling support having a stem mounted in the said sleeve and held from turning therein, and means for securing the rolling support at the required elevation, substantially as set forth.

2. In a safety appliance for bicycles, the combination of the plate to be secured to the converging bars of the machine-frame, a rod secured to the plate and having a sleeve at its outerend, a rolling support having its stem mounted in the sleeve so as to move vertically therein and held from turning, and a horizontally disposed spring actuated lever fulcrumed to the terminal portion of the aforesaid rod and adapted to operate through the sleeve and engage with the stem of the rolling support and hold the latter at the desired position, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as myown I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

MERRITT BURT.

\Vitnesses:

O. E. PEPPERDAY, (3. \VATERMAN. 

